Despite Commitment to Sustainability, Vacasa Says No to Recycling

It's entire Sunriver portfolio of over 220 properties won't participate in the new recycling program, though owners will continue to pay monthly for it.

Vacasa, which boasts its green practices and highlights its ecotourism destinations, has opted its entire Sunriver portfolio of over 220 homes out of recycling. 

After years of pressure from residents, the SROA (Sunriver Residents Owners Association) has convinced Cascade Disposal to roll out a curbside recycling program for its Sunriver residents. The program includes a bin of mixed recyclables and a bin for glass. Owners will be charged monthly regardless of if they participate. 

Vacasa, the largest vacation rental company in the world, has removed the two recycling containers so guests cannot use them, yet their owners will still pay the monthly fee. Like before, all mixed-use and glass recyclables will go straight into the trash can and then the landfill, never to be reused or repurposed. 

Sunriver, Oregon has long been one of the Pacific Northwest's most sought family destinations. The unincorporated area, which has a year-round population of just over 1,000 people, is visited by tens of thousands of families a year looking to experience the many outdoor recreational activities Central Oregon has to offer. 

Four workers in the area, all from different vacation rental companies, spoke to The Deschutes Chronicle for background information on this story on the condition of anonymity. 

As the area has become vastly more popular, most family vacation homes, some of which have been passed down for generations, have become professionally managed by short-term rental companies (STR) that have exploded since the emergence of AirBnb. 

One gripe residents and vacationers often express is how the community of Sunriver doesn’t offer curbside recycling. The owners of these vacation homes, and its guests, often come from more liberal areas like Portland, Seattle, and the San Francisco Bay Area, where curbside recycling is available. 

The employees we spoke to talked about how vacationers often produce more recyclables than the general public does at home because they are drinking wine, beer, and seltzers, in large quantities. It's not uncommon for more than half of guests' trash to be bottles and cans. 

Vacasa’s Sunriver Headquarters, Located in The Village

The area contains over 1,000 vacation rentals and about a dozen short-term rental companies, though the majority of properties are managed by three companies; Sunriver Resort (the employer of yours truly) and Bennington Properties, who manage about 300 and 230 homes, respectively. Both companies are adjusting their operation and can accommodate the recycling program for any homeowner that wants to participate. 

The third company is Vacasa, which manages over 220 homes. In an email exchange, Vacasa’s Director of Corporate Communications, “…confirmed that we are not currently participating in the program (along with many other PMs) in the area.” Though added, “...that sustainability is a priority for our company and as we have for years, are directing guests to the community recycling center. This has been successful for us in the past and guests are happy to—and do—take items there.” 

Sunriver does have a recycling center, which residents and visitors can use to recycle glass, cardboard, and mixed recyclables, but the workers we spoke to said guests seldom bring their recyclables to the center, assuming that the company they rented the home from will do it - which no company does. 

Other critics say the recycling program was hastily implemented and doesn’t take into account that the vast majority of the homes' trash is managed by short-term rental companies and used by vacationers.  

Workers cited operational difficulties, staffing shortages, and a lack of will from higher-ups to ensure guest recyclables are taken to the center. Two employees even said their (respective) guest services regularly tell guests that if they leave their recyclables separated, the company will take them to the center upon their departure, knowing that they don’t. 

The Sunriver Residents Owners Association (SROA) has long shifted blame for the lack of curbside recycling to Cascade Disposal - the waste management provider in the area - who in turn has said providing recycling in the area is financially and operationally unsustainable. They have provided for years curbside glass and mixed-use recycling options for their Bend customers. 

It's hard to quantify exactly how many pounds of trash in a given year could have been diverted to recyclables if Vacasa chose to participate, but the number is sure to be in the tens of thousands, if not over 100,000 given how many homes they manage. The company in 2022 grossed over 1.1 billion dollars in revenue.